1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information presentation system and a portable telephone apparatus for providing various information data, such as stock information data, sport information data, map information data and the like, by using a communication line such as a telephone line or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, an information presentation system, in which various information presentation companies give various information, such as stock information, sport information, map information and the like, through telephone lines to clients and the like, is constituted such that current information can be heard by voice or can be displayed on a display device etc., by dialing a particular telephone number.
A first example of such an information presentation system using a telephone line is a system in which a stock securities company or an information presentation company gives, by voice, current or real time stock prices to a client and the like through a telephone.
In case of the stock information presentation system, a particular telephone number is assigned for each industry division, such as a construction division, a food division, an electrical apparatus division, and the like. For example, when a user dials a telephone number assigned to the electrical apparatus division, the user can hear a voice broadcast read out in an order of predetermined stock codes for respective companies together with a dairy return (increase or decrease against a stock price of a previous day) in such a way that, in the most recent stock prices of listed companies belonging to the electrical apparatus division, TOSHIBA is ◯◯ (YEN)/◯◯ (YEN) higher, MITSUBISHIDENKI is ◯◯ (YEN)/◯◯ (YEN) higher, FUJIDENKI is ◯◯ (YEN)/◯◯ (YEN) higher, and the like. Here, the stock codes for respective companies are codes, each of which is set in advance in a stock industry for each listed company. For example, in the construction division, codes from a 1800 level to a 1900 level are set in such a way that a code of TAISEIKENSETSU is 1801, a code of OBAYASHIGUMI is 1802 and the like. In the electrical apparatus division, codes from a 6500 level to a 6900 level are set in such a way that a code of HITACHISEISAKUSHO is 6501, a code of TOSHIBA is 6502 and the like. In the stock industry, the stock transactions are performed, and the stock information data are treated, on the basis of the stock codes set in this manner. In general, such stock codes for respective companies are often seen in a newspaper dedicated to a stock, a magazine dedicated to a stock and the like.
Thus, when a user desires to know a stock price about a particular company, by dialing the telephone number assigned to the industry division to which this particular company belongs, the user can hear the stock price at a time point when the order of this particular company comes in the reading sequence. Presently, the number of the companies is 123, which belong to the electrical apparatus division on the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange Market. In this division, the stock price information for each company can be heard through the above mentioned stock information presentation system, approximately every 4 minutes as one cycle.
A second example is a system in which a sport related company and an information presentation system gives to a client and the like through a telephone, by voice, current or real time sport information (various items, such as a competition card scheduled on that day, a result of a game held on that day, information as for the game currently in progress at that time).
In a case of the sport information presentation system, a particular telephone number is assigned to each of sport genres, such as a baseball, a horse race, a golf, a SUMO wrestling and the like. Thus, when a user desires to know the sport information about a particular item in a particular sport genre, by dialing the telephone number assigned to this sport genre, the user can hear the sport information about this item at a time point when the order of this item comes in the reading sequence.
A third example of such an information presentation system using a telephone line is a system in which an information presentation company gives map information.
Recently, a retrieving or searching function is extremely enriched in a navigation apparatus represented by a car navigation apparatus for displaying map data and the like in the vicinity of a current position of a car. Hence, a navigation apparatus is developed which has a function of displaying map data of a territory corresponding to a telephone number if inputting the telephone number to the navigation apparatus. In order to implement such a retrieving function, a maker of the navigation apparatus has a huge amount of retrieval database, and suitably edits and prepares various map data and the like based on the retrieval database to thereby provide it in a form of CD-ROM and the like to memory devices of the respective navigation apparatuses.
In the third example of the information presentation system, a portable telephone can be constituted such that it has a small type of a displaying device such as an LCD (liquid crystal display device) to display the map data thereon. However, it is virtually impossible to provide such a portable telephone with the database concerned in a widely ranging map which can be retrieved or searched by inputting a telephone number as mentioned above, because of the constraint of a hardware such as a memory and the like, since portability such as smallness and lightness is essentially important. Therefore, Japanese Patent Application Laying Open (KOKAI) Hei. No. 6-350733 proposes a portable telephone navigation system, in which each of basic stations, which are located at intervals of approximately 100 meters in a town so as to communicate with the portable telephone apparatuses, stores the map data as for the map at the vicinity of the respective basic station, and, if a user indicates a map request from one portable telephone apparatus, the basic station communicating with this portable telephone apparatus sends the stored map data to the portable telephone apparatus, so that the portable telephone apparatus receives and displays it. According to this system, each of the basic stations may have an enough memory to store the map at the vicinity of the respective basic station. Hence, the portable telephone apparatus can automatically obtain the map data as for the map at the vicinity of the pertinent portable telephone apparatus, by indicating the map request.
However, there are various problems in the above explained first to third examples of the information presentation system as followings.
In the first example as explained above, the stock information through the voice broadcast in the above described first example is always continued to be supplied in the order of the stock codes during the market quotation. Thus, this results in a problem that, even when the user desires to know the stock information about a particular company, the user must wait for several minutes while hearing unnecessary information about companies other than the particular company based on the timing at which the user telephones. For example, in a case of the electrical apparatus division, the user must wait for 4 minutes at the maximum. When unfortunately telephoning at a time point immediately after the order of the particular company, the user must truly wait for 4 minutes. Thus, this is very inconvenient. Moreover, this results in an ineffective utilization of a telephone resource such as a telephone line and the like.
Although the order of the companies whose informations are supplied by voice is the order of the predetermined stock codes, a user who is not widely experienced in the stock transaction must wait for the order of the particular company while looking for respective companies on a stock column of a newspaper or a stock code table. Otherwise, there is a very high possibility that the user fails to hear the stock information about the pertinent company. If failing to hear the stock information as mentioned above, the user must wait for approximately 4 minutes in a case of the electrical apparatus division, for example. Moreover, this is extremely inconvenient also to a user who is widely experienced in the stock transaction, since the user must again wait for 4 minutes when rechecking the word escape or the mishearing or when intending to deal with many companies.
On the other hand, from the viewpoint of the information provider, when a user desires the presentation of the stock information about a desirable company, it is unfair to charge a fee for a data presentation including an information presentation which is not useful to the user. Otherwise, charging the fee for the information only as for the desirable company results in a complex system.
In the second example as explained above, the sport information through the voice broadcast in the above described second example is supplied in an appropriate order, after appropriate items in the respective sport genres are set by the information provider at that time. This results in a problem that, even when a user desires to know the sport information about a particular item, a user must wait for several minutes while hearing unnecessary information about items other than the particular item, based on the timing when telephoning. Furthermore, this also results in the ineffective utilization of the telephone resource such as the telephone line and the like.
On the other hand, from the viewpoint of the information provider, when a user desires a presentation of sport information as for a desirable item in a desirable sport genre, it is unfair to charge a fee for a data presentation including an information presentation which is not useful to the user. Otherwise, charging the fee for the information only as for the desirable item results in the complex system.
In the third example as explained above, a huge amount of retrieval database owned by the above mentioned navigation apparatus maker is used only for simply producing the navigation apparatus, for example, for writing map data of a particular territory or a particular type to the storage medium, such as CD-ROM and the like, to be set in the navigation apparatus. In other words, a directly effective utilization for the user of the navigation apparatus is not promoted.
Moreover, in the third example, only the map at the vicinity of the current position of the user of the portable telephone can be automatically displayed on a display device provided on the portable telephone. That is, it has a problem that it is impossible to retrieve and display various map data with high free degrees. Further, according to this navigation system, in many basic stations, it is necessary to store the map data concerned in the peripheral territories for respective one of the basic stations, so that it is also necessary to perform operations for the map data, such as an initialization, a change, an update, a modification and the like of the map data, for respective one of the basic stations. This results in another problem that the operations become complex.
From the viewpoint of the above mentioned problems, it is therefore a first object of the present invention to provide an information presentation system and a portable telephone apparatus with an information displaying function, which can quickly give desirable information to a user having a portable communication terminal apparatus, such as a portable telephone apparatus or the like, can simplify a charging operation to the user, and can improve an effective utilization of a telephone resource.
It is a second object of the present invention to provide an information presentation system and a portable telephone apparatus with an information displaying function, in which a user of a portable communication terminal apparatus, such as a portable telephone apparatus and the like, can directly make use of a huge amount of retrieval database owned by a service center, and thereby desirable map data can be easily displayed in the portable communication terminal apparatus.
The above mentioned first object of the present invention can be achieved by a first information presentation system provided with: a data server for providing a predetermined kind of information data classified into a plurality of preset data groups through a communication line; and a portable communication terminal apparatus connectable through the communication line to the data server. The portable communication terminal apparatus is provided with: a connecting device for connecting the portable communication terminal apparatus to the data server through the communication line; an input device for inputting or specifying a desirable code from among a plurality of data group codes each indicating respective one of the preset data groups; and a terminal side transmitting device for transmitting the inputted or specified code through the communication line to the data server. The data server is provided with: a server side receiving device for receiving the transmitted code; and a server side transmitting device for transmitting the information data as for the data group corresponding to the received code by a predetermined format from the data server to the portable communication terminal apparatus through the communication line. The portable communication terminal apparatus is further provided with: a terminal side receiving device for receiving the transmitted information data; and a displaying device for displaying the received information data.
According to the first information presentation system, at first, on the side of the portable communication terminal apparatus, the portable communication terminal apparatus is connected to the data server through the communication line, by the connecting device. Then, by the input device, a desirable code from among the data group codes is inputted or specified. Then, after the connection through the communication line is established, the inputted or specified code is transmitted through the communication line to the data server. Next, on the side of the data server, the transmitted code is received by the server side receiving device. Then, by the server side transmitting device, the information data as for the data group corresponding to the received code is transmitted by a predetermined format from the data server to the portable communication terminal apparatus through the communication line. Next, on the side of the portable communication terminal apparatus, the transmitted information data is received by the terminal side receiving device. Finally, the received information data is displayed by the displaying device.
Accordingly, the information data about the data group corresponding to the desirable code sent by the portable communication terminal apparatus is transmitted from the data server to the portable communication terminal apparatus through the communication line, and this transmitted information data is displayed by the displaying device. Hence, it is possible to quickly receive and display the information data corresponding to the desirable code specified by the user.
In one aspect of the first information presentation system, the information data is stock information data, the data group is a group for each classified industry division, and the data group code is an industry division code indicative of each of industry divisions. The input device is adapted to input or specify at least one desirable code of the industry division code and a plurality of classified company stock codes each indicating respective one of preset companies. And that, the server side transmitting device transmits the stock information data as for the company corresponding to the code inputted or specified by the input device by a predetermined format from the data server to the portable communication terminal apparatus through the communication line. Here, the xe2x80x9cclassified company stock codexe2x80x9d is a code consisting of 4 digits number etc., set in advance by the stock trading industry for respective one of the listed companies, in the same manner as the aforementioned conventional cases. The xe2x80x9cindustry division codexe2x80x9d may be a code consisting of the upper 2 digits of the classified company stock code, or may be a telephone number or an exclusive code set with no relation to the classified company stock code by dividing the whole industry by appropriate division units in consideration with an ability of the data server or the communication line. Further, inputting or specifying these classified company stock code and the industry division code may be performed by directly inputting the code by use of numeral, by key-inputting the industry name or company name by use of character, or by specifying the industry name or the company name which are menu-displayed, so as to indirectly specify the code corresponding to the industry name or the company name.
Accordingly, the stock information data about the company corresponding to the desirable code sent by the portable communication terminal apparatus is transmitted from the data server to the portable communication terminal apparatus through the communication line, and this transmitted stock information data is displayed by the displaying device. Hence, it is possible to quickly receive and display the stock information data corresponding to the desirable code specified by the user.
Especially according to this one aspect, it is possible to quickly receive and display the desirable stock information, while in the aforementioned conventional stock information presentation system by means of the voice broadcast, it is necessary to wait for the order in which the stock information is broadcasted by a period depending on a telephoned time point, in order to obtain the desirable stock information. Moreover, in order to obtain the stock information about a plurality of companies in the aforementioned conventional system, the telephone line must be maintained for a long time based on the number of the companies and an order interval thereof. However, the present invention in this aspect is very advantageous since the necessary data can be transmitted and read in collectively by one action. Further, the telephone line connection time can be extremely reduced by specifying a plurality of codes corresponding to the targeted stock information before the line connection. Also, it is possible to read in the stock information about all the companies belonging to one industry division collectively by one action. Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to check the stock information in a short time, and also possible to check after the telephone line is cut off.
In this one aspect, it may be preferred that: the data server is further provided with a plurality of classified division databases, each of which stores respective one of the data groups classified into the industry divisions and to which respectively different telephone numbers are assigned; the input device is adapted to input or specify at least one desirable code of the industry division code and the classified company stock code before establishing a connection through the communication line; and the connecting device connects the portable communication terminal apparatus to one of the classified division databases as for the industry division corresponding to the inputted or specified code through the communication line.
Accordingly, by using a plurality of classified division databases each providing the stock information data which is classified into the predetermined kinds of the classified industry divisions and to which the respectively different telephone numbers are assigned, in the data server it is possible to quickly access the necessary classified division databases. Thus, it is possible to receive and display the desirable stock information data effectively and quickly, in the portable communication terminal apparatus.
In this one aspect, it may be preferred that: the portable communication terminal apparatus is further provided with a second memory device for storing company name data corresponding to each of the classified company stock codes; and the displaying device refers to the stored company name data and displays the stock information data together with the company name data corresponding to the displayed stock information data.
Accordingly, the displaying device uses the company name data corresponding to each of the item codes stored in the second memory device to thereby display the company name data. Hence, it can display the company name data together with the transmitted stock information data, based on the item code, without transmitting the company name code. Moreover, it is possible to instantly obtain the corresponding company name data, by inputting only the item code, without inputting the company name data through the inputting device.
In another aspect of the first information presentation system, the information data is sport information data, the data group is a group for each classified sport genre, and the data group code is a sport genre code indicative of each of sport genres. The input device is adapted to input or specify at least one desirable code of the sport genre code and a plurality of classified item codes each indicating respective one of preset items in predetermined kinds. And that, the server side transmitting device transmits the sport information data as for the sport genre and the item corresponding to the code inputted or specified by the input device by a predetermined format from the data server to the portable communication terminal apparatus through the communication line. Here, the xe2x80x9csport genre codexe2x80x9d may be an exclusive code consisting of 2 digits number etc., or an exclusive telephone number set in advance for each of the sport genres such as a baseball, a tennis, a golf, a horse race, a SUMO wrestling and the like. The xe2x80x9citem codexe2x80x9d may be an exclusive code consisting of 2 digits number etc. set in advance for each of the items in predetermined kinds, such as a fixture (i.e. a card or game date), a card name (e.g. a race name, a tournament name, a match name), a player name, a team name and the like. The item codes may include a plurality of detailed genre codes indicating the more finely categorized detail genres, such as a professional baseball, an amateur baseball, a social baseball, a high-school baseball, a foreign baseball, a national baseball and the like, as for the xe2x80x9cbaseballxe2x80x9d genre, for example. Further, inputting or specifying these sport genre code and the item code may be performed by directly inputting the code by use of numeral, by key-inputting the sport genre name or item name by use of character, or by specifying the sport genre name or the item name which are menu-displayed, so as to indirectly specify the code corresponding to the sport genre name or the item name.
Accordingly, the sport information data corresponding to the desirable sport genre code and the desirable item code sent by the portable communication terminal apparatus is transmitted from the data server to the portable communication terminal apparatus through the communication line, and this transmitted sport information data is displayed by the displaying device. Hence, it is possible to quickly receive and display the desirable sport information data specified by the user.
Especially according to this aspect, it is possible to quickly receive and display the desirable sport information, while in the aforementioned conventional sport information presentation system by means of the voice broadcast, it is necessary to wait for the order in which the sport information is broadcasted by a period depending on a telephoned time point, in order to obtain the desirable sport information. Moreover, in order to obtain the sport information about a plurality of sports in the aforementioned conventional system, the telephone line must be maintained for a long time based on a number of the sports and an order interval thereof. However, the present invention in this aspect is very advantageous since the necessary data can be transmitted and read in collectively by one action. Further, the telephone line connection time can be extremely reduced by specifying a plurality of codes corresponding to the targeted sport information before the line connection. Also, it is possible to read in the sport information about all the items belonging to one sport genre collectively by one action. Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to check the sport information in a short time, and also possible to check after the telephone line is cut off.
In this another aspect, it may be preferred that the item codes is provided with at least one of: a plurality of fixture codes each indicating a fixture date; a plurality of card name codes each indicating a name of a card: a plurality of player name codes each indicating a name of a player; a plurality of team name codes each indicating a name of a team; and a plurality of detail genre codes each indicating a detail genre in which each of the sport genres is classified more finely.
Accordingly, the portable communication terminal apparatus can receive the sport information as for a fixture date, a name of a card, a name of a player, a name of a team, a detail genre and so on, from the data server.
In this another aspect, it may be preferred that: the data server is further provided with a plurality of classified genre databases, each of which stores respective one of the data groups classified into the sport genres and to which respectively different telephone numbers are assigned; the input device is adapted to input or specify one desirable sport genre code before establishing a connection through the communication line; and the connecting device connects the portable communication terminal apparatus to one of the classified genre databases as for the sport genre corresponding to the inputted or specified sport genre code through the communication line.
Accordingly, by using a plurality of classified genre databases each providing the sport information data which is classified into the predetermined kinds of the classified sport genres and to which the respectively different telephone numbers are assigned, in the data server it is possible to quickly access the necessary classified genre databases. Thus, it is possible to receive and display the desirable sport information data effectively and quickly, in the portable communication terminal apparatus.
In this another aspect, it may be preferred that: the portable communication terminal apparatus is further provided with a second memory device for storing at least one of (i) sport genre display data for character-displaying the sport genre corresponding to each of the sport genre codes and (ii) item display data for character-displaying the item corresponding to each of the item codes; and the displaying device refers to at least one of the stored sport genre display data and the stored item display data and displays the sport information data together with at least one of the character-displayed sport genre and item corresponding to the displayed sport information data.
Accordingly, the displaying device uses the sport genre display data or the item display data stored in the second memory device to thereby character-display the sport genre or the item. Hence, it can character-display the sport genre or item together with the transmitted sport information data, based on the code, without transmitting data indicating the sport genre name or item name. Moreover, it is possible to instantly obtain the character-display of the sport genre name or the item name, by inputting only the code, without inputting the sport genre name or item name through the inputting device.
In another aspect of the first information presentation system, the portable communication terminal apparatus is further provided with a first memory device for storing the received information data. And that, the displaying device displays the stored information data.
Accordingly, the displaying device displays the information data once stored in the first memory device. Hence, it is possible to flexibly display and process the information data. Especially, since it is possible to utilize the desirable information even after cutting off the communication line, the telephone resource can be efficiently utilized, and that, it is possible to check the information after cutting off the communication line.
In this another aspect, it may be preferred that: the input device is adapted to specify the information data stored in the first memory device; and the displaying device displays the information data specified by the input device.
Accordingly, since the specified information data can be displayed by specifying by use of the input device, even if the display ability of the displaying device is relatively low as compared with the data amount of the information data stored in the first memory, the information data desired by the user can be appropriately displayed, which is very convenient.
In this another aspect, it may be preferred that the server side transmitting device adjusts an amount of the information data to be transmitted on the basis of a memory ability of the first memory device.
Accordingly, since the server side transmitting device adjusts the amount of the transmitted information data based on the memory ability of-the first memory device, the free degree with regard to the memory ability of the memory device becomes large. Hence, this is advantageous in manufacturing the portable communication terminal apparatus.
In this case, it may be preferred that: the terminal side transmitting device further transmits memory ability information indicative of the memory ability of the first memory device to the data server through the communication line, after establishing the connection through the communication line; the server side receiving device further receives the transmitted memory ability information; and the server side transmitting device adjusts the amount of the information data to be transmitted on the basis of the received memory ability information.
Accordingly, the memory ability information indicative of the memory ability of the first memory device is transmitted to the data server, and the server side transmitting device adjusts the amount of the presentation data to be transmitted on the basis of this memory ability information. Hence, the information presentation system can smoothly work even by using the various portable communication terminal apparatuses, whose memory abilities are not constant.
In this another aspect, it may be preferred that: the first memory device has a memory ability to store more information data in data amount than the information data which the displaying device can display at one time; the input device is adapted to specify a portion to be scroll-displayed among the information data with respect to the displaying device; and the displaying device scroll-displays the portion specified by the input device among the stored information data.
Accordingly, the more information data in data amount than the information data which the displaying device can display at one time is stored in the first memory device, and the scroll display is performed by using this stored information data. Hence, it is possible to perform the extremely quicker scroll display as compared with the access to the data server for each screen through the communication line.
In another aspect of the first information presentation system, the connecting device cuts off a connection through the communication line, if there is no input by the input device for a predetermined period.
Accordingly, the connecting device cuts off the line connection, if the input is not performed by the input device for the predetermined period. Hence, the uselessness of the utilization time of the communication line can be reduced even if the user forgets the cutoff of the line connection.
In another aspect of the first information presentation system, the data server is further provided with a line cutoff device for cutting off a connection through the communication line, if the server side receiving device does not receive the inputted or specified code from the portable communication terminal apparatus for a predetermined period.
Accordingly, the line cutoff device cuts off the line connection, if the server side receiving device does not receive the predetermined kind of information from the portable communication terminal apparatus for the predetermined period. Then, the uselessness of the utilization time of the communication line is also reduced, even if the user forgets the cutoff of the line connection.
In another aspect of the first information presentation system, the displaying device continues displaying after a connection through the communication line is cut off.
Accordingly, since the displaying device continues the display even after the connection through the communication line is cut off, the user continues to see the information data read in through the communication line, while the utilization time of the communication line is shortened.
In another aspect of the first information presentation system, the portable communication terminal apparatus has a telephoning function. The displaying device is adapted to further display a telephone number to be called by the telephoning function. And that, the input device is provided with a call key to call the telephone number displayed by the displaying device.
Accordingly, when the call key is actuated, the call to the telephone number displayed by the displaying device is executed. Hence, the operation of telephoning the desirable telephone number becomes easy. Especially, for example, since it is possible to telephone a transaction department of a stock company immediately after looking at a current stock price on the display screen, the user can obtain a condition as if the user were at the stock company regardless of the user""s actual location as long as the user has the portable communication terminal apparatus, which is very convenient for the user. Further, for example, it is possible to make a reservation for a scheduled competition card by telephone immediately after looking at the scheduled competition card, which is also very convenient for the user.
In another aspect of the first information presentation system, a telephone station intervenes in the communication line. And that, the system is further provided with a charging device at the telephone station for charging a line utilization fee for the communication line and charging a data presentation fee for the information data instead of the data server with respect to the portable communication terminal apparatus.
Accordingly, the data presentation fee for the information data is charged with respect to the portable communication terminal apparatus instead of the data server, by the charging device provided in the telephone station. Thus, it is possible to prevent the apparatus construction or the control method in the data server from being complicated, and it is possible to easily charge the appropriate data presentation fee in line with the data presentation amount of the necessary information for the user, which is convenient.
The above mentioned first object of the present invention can be also achieved by a second information presentation system provided with: a data server including a plurality of classified division databases, each of which stores information data classified into a plurality of predetermined kinds of divisions and to which respectively different telephone numbers are assigned, for providing the information data through a communication line; and a portable communication terminal apparatus connectable through the communication line to the data server. The portable communication terminal apparatus is provided with: an input device for inputting or specifying a telephone number; and a connecting device for connecting the portable communication terminal apparatus to one of the classified division databases, to which the inputted or specified telephone number is assigned, through the communication line. The data server is provided with a server side transmitting device for transmitting the information data by a predetermined format from the one of the classified division databases, to which the portable communication terminal apparatus is connected, to the portable communication terminal apparatus through the communication line. And that, the portable communication terminal apparatus is further provided with: a terminal side receiving device for receiving the transmitted information data; a first memory device for storing the received information data; and a displaying device for displaying the stored information data.
According to the second information presentation system of the present invention, at first, on the side of the portable communication terminal apparatus, when the telephone number is inputted or specified by the input device, the portable communication terminal apparatus is connected to one of the classified division databases, to which the inputted or specified telephone number is assigned, through the communication line by the connecting device. At this time, inputting or specifying the telephone number may be performed by directly inputting it by use of numeral, by specifying one of the menu-displayed telephone numbers assigned to respective industry divisions, or by specifying one of the menu-displayed division names by use of a cursor or the like, so as to indirectly specify the telephone number. Next, on the side of the data server, the information data is transmitted by a predetermined format from the one of the classified division databases, to which the portable communication terminal apparatus is connected, to the portable communication terminal apparatus through the communication line, by the server side transmitting device. Next, on the portable communication terminal apparatus, the transmitted information data is received by the terminal side receiving device, and the received information data is stored into the first memory device. Finally, the stored information data is displayed by the displaying device.
Accordingly, all of the information data classified into a desired division can be read in collectively just by specifying the telephone number, and it is possible after that to appropriately display the information data stored in the first memory device.
In one aspect of the second information presentation system, the information data is stock information data, and the predetermined kinds of divisions are industry divisions.
Accordingly, the stock information data as for all of the companies belonging to the desired industry division can be read in collectively just by specifying the telephone number, and it is possible after that to appropriately display the stock information data stored in the first memory device.
Especially according to this aspect, it is possible to quickly receive and display the desirable stock information, while in the aforementioned conventional stock information presentation system by means of the voice broadcast, it is necessary to wait for the order in which the stock information is broadcasted by a period depending on a telephoned time point, in order to obtain the desirable stock information. Moreover, in order to obtain the stock information about a plurality of companies in the aforementioned conventional system, the telephone line must be maintained for a long time based on a number of the companies and an order interval thereof. However, the present invention in this aspect is very advantageous since the stock information as for all of the companies belonging to one industry division can be transmitted and read in collectively by one action. Thus, after reading in or especially cutting off the communication line, the stock information of the desirable company can be appropriately seen by the displaying device, which is very convenient for the user.
In another aspect of the second information presentation system, the information data is sport information data, and the predetermined kinds of divisions are sport genres.
Accordingly, the sport information data as for all of the items belonging to the desired sport genre can be read in collectively just by specifying the telephone number, and it is possible after that to appropriately display the sport information data stored in the first memory device.
Especially according to this aspect, it is possible to quickly receive and display the desirable sport information, while in the aforementioned conventional sport information presentation system by means of the voice broadcast, it is necessary to wait for the order in which the sport information is broadcasted by a period depending on a telephoned time point, in order to obtain the desirable sport information. Moreover, in order to obtain the sport information about a plurality of sports in the aforementioned conventional system, the telephone line must be maintained for a long time based on a number of the sports and an order interval thereof. However, the present invention in this aspect is very advantageous since the sport information as for all of the items belonging to one sport genre can be transmitted and read in collectively by one action. Thus, after reading in or especially cutting off the communication line, the sport information of the desirable item can be appropriately seen by the displaying device, which is very convenient for the user.
In another aspect of the second information presentation system, the first memory device has a memory ability to store more information data in data amount than the information data which the displaying device can display at one time. The input device is adapted to specify a portion to be scroll-displayed among the information data with respect to the displaying device. And that, the displaying device scroll-displays the portion specified by the input device among the stored information data.
Accordingly, the more information data in data amount than the information data which the displaying device can display at one time is stored in the first memory device, and the scroll display is performed by using this stored information data. Hence, it is possible to perform the extremely quicker scroll display as compared with the access to the data server for each screen through the communication line.
The above mentioned first object of the present invention can be also achieved by a first portable telephone apparatus with an information displaying function connectable to a data server through a communication line. The data server provides a predetermined kind of information data classified into a plurality of preset data groups by transmitting, when receiving a code among a plurality of data group codes each indicating respective one of the data groups though the communication line, the information data in one data group corresponding to the received code. The first portable telephone apparatus is provided with: a connecting device for connecting the portable telephone apparatus to the data server through the communication line; an input device for inputting or specifying a desirable code from among the data group codes; a terminal side transmitting device for transmitting the inputted or specified code through the communication line to the data server; a terminal side receiving device for receiving the transmitted information data transmitted by the data server, which receives the transmitted code, in correspondence with the received code, through the communication line; and a displaying device for displaying the received information data.
Accordingly, in the same manner as the portable communication terminal apparatus in the aforementioned first information presentation system of the present invention, it is possible to quickly receive and display the desirable information data which is specified by the user.
In one aspect of the first portable telephone apparatus, the information data is stock information data, the data group is a group for each classified industry division, and the data group code is an industry division code indicative of each of industry divisions. The input device is adapted to input or specify at least one desirable code of the industry division code and a plurality of classified company stock codes each indicating respective one of preset companies. And that, the data server transmits the stock information data as for the company corresponding to the code inputted or specified by the input device to the portable communication terminal apparatus through the communication line.
Accordingly, it is possible to quickly receive and display the desirable stock information data which is specified by the user.
In this one aspect, it may be preferred that the portable telephone apparatus is further provided with a second memory device for storing company name data corresponding to each of the classified company stock codes. And that, the displaying device refers to the stored company name data and displays the stock information data together with the company name data corresponding to the displayed stock information data.
Accordingly, the company name data can be displayed by use of the company name data corresponding to the classified company stock code stored in the second memory. Thus, it is possible to display the company name data, on the basis of the classified company stock code, together with the transmitted stock information data without transmitting the company name data.
In another aspect of the first portable telephone apparatus, the information data is sport information data, the data group is a group for each classified sport genre, and the data group code is a sport genre code indicative of each of sport genres. The input device is adapted to input or specify at least one desirable code of the sport genre code and a plurality of classified item codes each indicating respective one of preset items in predetermined kinds. And that, the data server transmits the sport information data as for the sport genre and the item corresponding to the code inputted or specified by the input device to the portable communication terminal apparatus through the communication line.
Accordingly, it is possible to quickly receive and display the desirable sport information data which is specified by the user.
In this aspect, the item codes may be provided with at least one of: a plurality of fixture codes each indicating a fixture date; a plurality of card name codes each indicating a name of a card; a plurality of player name codes each indicating a name of a player; a plurality of team name codes each indicating a name of a team; and a plurality of detail genre codes each indicating a detail genre in which each of the sport genres is classified more finely.
Accordingly, it is possible to receive the sport information as for a fixture date, a name of a card, a name of a player, a name of a team, a detail genre and so on, from the data server.
Alternatively, in this aspect, the portable telephone apparatus may be further provided with a second memory device for storing at least one of (i) sport genre display data for character-displaying the sport genre corresponding to each of the sport genre codes and (ii) item display data for character-displaying the item corresponding to each of the item codes. And that, the displaying device may refer to at least one of the stored sport genre display data and the stored item display data and may display the sport information data together with at least one of the character-displayed sport genre and item corresponding to the displayed sport information data.
Accordingly, it is possible to character-display the sport genre or item together with the transmitted sport information data, based on the code, without transmitting data indicating the sport genre name or item name. Moreover, it is possible to instantly obtain the character-display of the sport genre name or the item name, by inputting only the code, without inputting the sport genre name or item name through the inputting device.
In another aspect of the first portable telephone apparatus, the portable telephone apparatus is further provided with a first memory device for storing the received information data. And that, the displaying device displays the stored information data.
Accordingly, since the displaying device displays the information data once stored in the first memory device, it is possible to flexibly display and process the information data.
In this case, it is may be preferred that the first memory device has a memory ability to store more information data in data amount than the information data which the displaying device can display at one time. The input device is adapted to specify a portion to be scroll-displayed among the information data with respect to the displaying device. And that, the displaying device scroll-displays the portion specified by the input device among the stored information data.
Accordingly, the more information data in data amount than the information data which the displaying device can display at one time is stored in the first memory device, and the scroll display is performed by using this stored information data. Hence, it is possible to perform the extremely quicker scroll display as compared with the access to the data server for each screen through the communication line.
The above mentioned second object of the present invention can be achieved by a third information presentation system provided with: a service center for providing presentation data including map data through a communication line; and a portable communication terminal apparatus connectable through the communication line to the service center. The portable communication terminal apparatus is provided with: a connecting device for connecting the portable communication terminal apparatus to the service center through the communication line; an input device for inputting or specifying a desirable telephone number; and a terminal side transmitting device for transmitting the inputted or specified telephone number through the communication line to the service center after establishing a connection through the communication line. The service center is provided with: a center side receiving device for receiving the transmitted telephone number; and a center side transmitting device for transmitting presentation data as for a territory corresponding to the received telephone number by a predetermined format from the service center to the portable communication terminal apparatus through the communication line. And that, the portable communication terminal apparatus is further provided with: a terminal side receiving device for receiving the transmitted presentation data; and a displaying device for displaying the received presentation data.
According to the third information presentation system of the present invention, at first, on the side of the portable communication terminal apparatus, the portable communication terminal apparatus is connected to the service center through the communication line by the connecting device. Then, a desirable telephone number is inputted or specified by the input device. Then, the inputted or specified telephone number is transmitted by the terminal side transmitting device through the communication line to the service center after establishing a connection through the communication line. Next, on the side of the service center, the transmitted telephone number is received by the center side receiving device. Then, presentation data as for a territory corresponding to the received telephone number is transmitted by a predetermined format from the service center to the portable communication terminal apparatus through the communication line, by the center side transmitting device. Next, on the side of the portable communication terminal apparatus, the transmitted presentation data is received by the terminal side receiving device. Finally, the received presentation data is displayed by the displaying device.
Accordingly, the presentation data about the territory corresponding to the telephone number sent by the portable communication terminal apparatus is transmitted from the service center to the portable communication terminal apparatus through the communication line. This transmitted presentation data is displayed by the displaying device. Hence, it is possible to receive and display the map data related to an arbitrary telephone number specified by the user.
Especially according to the third information presentation system, it is possible to receive and display the map data related to an arbitrary telephone number specified by the user, although the aforementioned conventional portable telephone navigation system can display only the map at the vicinity of the telephoned current position. Thus, this invention is very convenient. Moreover, in the aforementioned conventional portable telephone navigation system, it is necessary to store the map in the peripheral territories for each of a plurality of basic stations in advance. However, in the third information presentation system of the present invention, the user can access the retrieval database of an information providing station, and can directly receive the desirable map data from the retrieval database irrespective of the number of the basic stations. Hence, this invention is extremely convenient.
In one aspect of the third information presentation system, the connecting device contains a call key for calling out the service center through the communication line.
Accordingly, the service center is called out by the operation of the call key. Thus, the service center can be called out simply and quickly. Hence, it is possible to retrieve the presentation data, such as the map data and the like, relatively quickly.
In another aspect of the third information presentation system, the portable communication terminal apparatus is further provided with a first memory device for storing the received presentation data. And that, the displaying device displays the stored presentation data.
Accordingly, the displaying device displays the presentation data once stored in the first memory device. Hence, it is possible to flexibly display and process the presentation data, such as the received map data and the like.
In this another aspect, it may be preferred that the center side transmitting device adjusts an amount of the presentation data to be transmitted on the basis of a memory ability of the first memory device.
Accordingly, the center side transmitting device adjusts the amount of the transmitted presentation data based on the memory ability of the first memory device. Thus, the free degree with regard to the memory ability of the memory device becomes large. Hence, this is advantageous in manufacturing the portable communication terminal apparatus.
Further in this case, it may be preferred that: the terminal side transmitting device further transmits memory ability information indicative of the memory ability of the first memory device to the service center through the communication line, after establishing the connection through the communication line; the center side receiving device further receives the transmitted memory ability information; and the center side transmitting device adjusts the amount of the presentation data to be transmitted on the basis of the received memory ability information.
Accordingly, the memory ability information indicative of the memory ability of the first memory device is transmitted to the service center, and the center side transmitting device adjusts the amount of the presentation data to be transmitted on the basis of this memory ability information. Hence, the information presentation system can smoothly work even by using the various portable communication terminal apparatuses, whose memory abilities are not constant.
Further in this aspect, it may be preferred that: the first memory device has a memory ability to store more presentation data in data amount than the presentation data which the displaying device can display at one time; the input device is adapted to specify a portion to be scroll-displayed among the presentation data with respect to the displaying device; and the displaying device scroll-displays the portion specified by the input device among the stored presentation data.
Accordingly, the more presentation data in data amount than the presentation data which the displaying device can display at one time is stored in the first memory device, and the scroll display is performed by using this stored presentation data. Hence, it is possible to perform the extremely quicker scroll display as compared with the access to the service center for each screen through the communication line.
In another aspect of the third information presentation system, the input device is adapted to input selection information indicative of at least one of an area and a facility, which are desired to be displayed by the displaying device. The terminal side transmitting device further transmits the selection information inputted by the input device to the service center through the communication line. The center side receiving device further receives the transmitted selection information. And that, the center side transmitting device transmits the presentation data corresponding to the received selection information.
Accordingly, the selection information indicative of the desirably displayed area or facility is transmitted to the service center, and the center side transmitting device transmits the presentation data based on the selection information. Hence, it is possible to transmit only the especially necessary information without uselessness. As a result, it is possible to implement a quick call of data by using the portable communication terminal apparatus having a relatively low performance.
In another aspect of the third information presentation system, the connecting device cuts off a connection through the communication line, if there is no input by the input device for a predetermined period.
Accordingly, the connecting device cuts off the line connection, if the input is not performed by the input device for the predetermined period. Hence, the uselessness of the utilization time of the communication line can be reduced even if the user forgets the cutoff of the line connection.
In another aspect of the third information presentation system, the service center is further provided with a line cutoff device for cutting off a connection through the communication line, if the center side receiving device does not receive a predetermined kind of information from the portable communication terminal apparatus for a predetermined period.
Accordingly, the line cutoff device cuts off the line connection, if the center side receiving device does not receive the predetermined kind of information from the portable communication terminal apparatus for the predetermined period. Then, the uselessness of the utilization time of the communication line is also reduced, even if the user forgets the cutoff of the line connection.
In another aspect of the third information presentation system, the portable communication terminal apparatus is further provided with a second memory device for storing the presentation data displayed by the displaying device. The input device is adapted to specify a storing operation of the presentation data into the second memory device. And that, the connecting device cuts off a connection through the communication line, when the storing operation is specified by the input device.
Accordingly, the connecting device cuts off the line connection, when the presentation data is stored into the second memory device by the input device. Hence, it is possible to inhibit the uselessness of the utilization time of the communication line.
In these aspects in which the connection through the communication line is cut off, the displaying device may continue displaying after the connection through the communication line is cut off.
Accordingly, the displaying device continues the display even after the connection through the communication line is cut off. Hence, the user continues to see the presentation data, such as the map data and the like, read in through the communication line, while the utilization time of the communication line is shortened.
In another aspect of the third information presentation system, the portable communication terminal apparatus has a telephoning function and is provided with: a second memory device for storing the presentation data displayed by the displaying device together with the corresponding telephone number; and a judging device for judging whether or not a telephone number identical to a telephone number called when a telephone call is made by the telephoning function is stored in the second memory device. And that, the displaying device displays the presentation data corresponding to the identical telephone number when the telephone call is made by the telephoning function, if it is judged by the judging device that the identical telephone number is stored.
Accordingly, when telephoning, if a telephone number identical to the calling telephone number is stored in the second memory device, the displaying device displays the presentation data corresponding to this telephone number. Hence, the operability of the portable communication terminal apparatus is excellent.
In another aspect of the third information presentation system, the input device is adapted to specify as a mark position any position on the map data displayed by the displaying device. The displaying device superimposes and displays a mark in a predetermined style on the displayed map data at the mark position specified by the input device. And that, the portable communication terminal apparatus is further provided with a second memory device for storing mark information indicative of the mark position together with the presentation data displayed by the displaying device.
Accordingly, the mark can be put on any position on the map data by the input device, and the mark information is stored in the second memory device. Hence, since the image information peculiar to the user putting the mark can be prepared and maintained, this is convenient.
In this another aspect, a plurality of portable communication terminal apparatuses, each of which is identical with the portable communication terminal apparatus, may be installed. In one of the portable communication terminal apparatuses, the terminal side transmitting device may transmit the map data and the mark information stored in the second memory device through the communication line to another of the portable communication terminal apparatuses. In the another of the portable communication terminal apparatuses, the terminal side receiving device may further receive the transmitted map data and mark information. And that, the displaying device superimposes and displays a mark represented by the received mark information on the received map data.
Accordingly, the map data and the mark information are transmitted between a plurality of portable communication terminal apparatuses. Hence, since the particular place, such as the waiting place and the like, can be transmitted as the mark position on the map, this is very convenient.
In another aspect of the third information presentation system, the portable communication terminal apparatus has a telephoning function. The displaying device is adapted to further display a telephone number to be called by the telephoning function. And that, the input device is provided with a call key to call the telephone number displayed by the displaying device.
Accordingly, when the call key is actuated, the call to the telephone number displayed by the displaying device is executed. Hence, the operation of telephoning the desirable telephone number becomes easy.
As a result, according to the third information presentation system of the present invention, it is possible to realize the information presentation system, in which the user of the portable communication terminal apparatus, such as the portable telephone apparatus having the memory device with the relatively low memory ability and the like, can utilize a huge amount of retrieval database owned by the service center, directly and effectively, and the desirable map data can be easily displayed in the portable communication terminal apparatus.
The above mentioned second object of the present invention can be also achieved by a second portable telephone apparatus with an information displaying function connectable to a service center through a communication line. The service center provides presentation data including map data through the communication line by transmitting, when receiving a telephone number though the communication line, the presentation data as for a territory corresponding to the received telephone number. The second portable telephone apparatus is provided with: a connecting device for connecting the portable telephone apparatus to the service center through the communication line; an input device for inputting or specifying a desirable telephone number; a terminal side transmitting device for transmitting the inputted or specified telephone number through the communication line to the service center after establishing a connection through the communication line; a terminal side receiving device for receiving the transmitted presentation data transmitted by the service center, which receives the transmitted telephone number, in correspondence with the received telephone number, through the communication line; and a displaying device for displaying the received presentation data.
Accordingly, in the same manner as the portable communication terminal apparatus in the aforementioned third information presentation system of the present invention, it is possible to receive and display the map data related to an arbitrary telephone number specified by the user.
In one aspect of the second portable telephone apparatus, the portable telephone apparatus is further provided with a first memory device for storing the received presentation data. And that, the displaying device displays the stored presentation data.
Accordingly, the displaying device displays the presentation data once stored in the first memory device. Hence, it is possible to flexibly display and process the presentation data, such as the received map data and the like.
The nature, utility, and further features of this invention will be more clearly apparent from the following detailed description with respect to preferred embodiments of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings briefly described below.